Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties | Photo by Cameron Pollack for WXPN

Dan Campbell may be best known as the frontman of The Wonder Years, but have you met his alter ego? Campbell started his Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties project a few years back, and just announced that its next album, Routine Maintenance, will be released on May 10. Continue reading →

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties at Made In America | Photo by Cameron Pollack for WXPN

The New Year’s Eve gigs are starting to roll onto the concert calendar, and the newly announced one is sure to be a wild one. Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, the storytelling project of singer-songwriter Dan Cambpell (who you might also know from his acclaimed punk band The Wonder Years) will headline Boot and Saddle to ring in 2019, with Boston indie rock four-piece Future Teens opening the show. Tickets come with a signed poster and admission to the after party — which we’re guessing is in the B&S restaurant space? Details are scant on that part of the night, but the music is going to be tight regardless. Continue reading →

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties | photo by Sydney Schaefer for WXPN

The Wonder Years frontman Dan Campbell is becoming more and more known for his side project, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, which just announced their first full tour following last year’s Bittersweet EP. This is a pretty big deal for Campbell. He’s played songs as the persona Aaron West at a few festivals, like Vans Warped Tour’s acoustic stage, but this is the first time we’ll get to hear his work they way he initially intended – full frame, full band, full story. This fall, he’ll be joined by Dryjacket, Shortly, Allison Weiss, and Norwegian Arms. The tour kicks off in New York on November 3rd and then heads West, then loops back home to end on December 2nd in Philadelphia. Continue reading →

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties at Made In America | Photo by Cameron Pollack for WXPN

For the next few weeks you’ll be able to download the full discography of Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties for a pay-what-you-want donation as the local musician raises money to support the American Civil Liberties Union. This comes alongside announcements from many artists around the country that they will be donating proceeds to support organizations that may be negatively affected by the incoming President.

Dan Campbell has always been a powerful storyteller, going back to the howling vignettes of personal catharsis he’s been delivering as frontman of The Wonder Years for the past decade and change. A few years ago, the Lansdale native decided to pick up an acoustic guitar and stretch out his narrative scope with the solo project Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties.

It debuted on 2014’s We Don’t Have Each Other by tracing the story of the band’s fictional namesake — a young man who, between drinking problems, divorce and deaths in the family, has a very difficult year. When we chatted earlier this year, Campbell said he was inspired to pursue the project after seeing The Mountain Goats for the first time. Songwriter John Darnielle bowled him over with his ability to create intensely detailed songs about very specific situations that nevertheless connect in a universal sense.

That’s exactly what Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties achieves, between its debut and the new Bittersweet EP, both on Hopeless Records. Campbell estimated there are at least two more albums worth of songs in the Aaron West saga. Continue reading →

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties | photo by Mitch Wojcik | courtesy of the artist

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties bring their new Bittersweet EP to Underground Arts tonight. The project of former Wonder Years’ frontman Dan Campbell, the Roaring Twenties chronicle an historical character living in the South. Campbell recently shared album single “Goodbye, Carolina Blues,” which you can listen to below. Pick up tickets for the 21+ show here.

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties | photo by Mitch Wojcik | courtesy of the artist

Many moons ago, punk scene vet Dan Campbell was playing a festival gig in Florida when a chance encounter with another artist on the bill planted the seeds for his next project.

It was 2010, and Campbell recalls bouncing from stage to stage around the St. Johns County Fairgrounds, taking in the eclectic lineup of the Harvest of Hope Festival, when he found himself simply bowled over by a solo performance from The Mountain Goats. Intending to just check out a couple songs and move on, he was immediately hooked, and an hour later, he’d watched frontman John Darnielle play his entire set.

“He was so unbelievably human, without ego or pretense,” Campbell recalls. “Just a person with a guitar playing songs that meant a lot to him.

“His ability to craft stories,” he continues, “was what made me want to do Aaron West in the first place.” Continue reading →

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, the folk-punk band fronted by The Wonder Years‘ Dan Campbell, has announced a summer tour with Allison Weiss, Can’t Swim, and Cold Collective. This includes a stop at Underground Arts in Philly on Thursday, June 2nd.

Campbell also recently announced the Bittersweet EP, which will be out on May 20th. Continue reading →

Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties | photo via facebook.com/aaronwestandtheroaringtwenties

Dan Campbell brings his Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties project to The Foundry tonight. The Wonder Years’ frontman by day, Campbell started this conceptual folk-rock band as “a character study conducted through music” last year. His first release under the moniker was We Don’t Have Each Other, which will be performed in its entirety tonight. Tickets and information for the show can be found here; watch “Our Apartment” below.

2017 has been nothing short of a breakout year for Laetitia Tamko, the New York multi-instrumentalist better known as Vagabon. Their second full-length project, Infinite Worlds, was released in February and met with significant acclaim. Vagabon’s unique tenor voice is mellifluous and versitle; on Infinite Worlds, Tamko shows her indie punk chops as well as a knack for stirringly beautiful acoustic rock. From album to album, it seems like Tamko has gained even more confidence in her playing, production and lyrical content, which leads to more complete work and a dynamic genre-bending style. Vagabon plays the First Unitarian Church tonight alongside New York indie rock outfit Cende and the brainy punk group Radiator Hospital. Consult the XPN Concert Calendar for tickets to go see this stacked lineup. Continue reading →

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH